WWE President Nick Khan Talks Netflix Deal And Why We Won't Be Seeing Any UFC Crossovers

WWE President Nick Khan Talks Netflix Deal And Why We Won't Be Seeing Any UFC Crossovers

WWE President Nick Khan has addressed the company's deal with Netflix - which will see RAW call the streamer home for a decade - and explains why we haven't seen any WWE/UFC crossovers since the merger...

By JoshWilding - Apr 12, 2024 09:04 AM EST
Filed Under: WWE

RAW has spent the past 30 years on cable television, but that all changes in 2025 when WWE's flagship show heads to streaming as part of a 10-year deal with Netflix.

Talking on The Town with Matthew Belloni, WWE President Nick Khan - who has been widely praised for the changes he's made to the company in recent years - addressed WWE's $5 billion deal with the streamer (and why now was the right time for such a drastic shift).

"We felt it was a robust marketplace," Khan said of Netflix's decision to enter the live broadcasting market and WWE's expertise in that area making them a good fit for each other. "Once you're in the room, you have a chance to get people to do things they might not always do."

"Once we went in for that initial pitch meeting, it was clear there was a path here," Khan added, explaining that Netflix's ability to reach households across the globe without complicated media rights getting in the way was a big draw for WWE. "We didn't give up that much money. I thought Netflix did not play around in the best ways."

Overseas, Netflix won't just host RAW; it will also be the go-to destination for SmackDown, NXT, and PLEs. 

Elsewhere in the interview, Khan talked about WWE's new parent company, Endeavor, and the fact both WWE and UFC now fall under the TKO Group Holdings banner.

So, what's with the lack of crossovers many fans expected would be a given? 

"We're predetermined," Khan says. "We think our athletes are the best in the world and all of those great things. Those guys are fighting each other for their lives and their livelihood. It's a great sport and they've done a tremendous job."

"I think Mark Shapiro said at a conference a couple of years ago, UFC's the number four sport in the country. So we at WWE think that UFC has earned that status," he added. "People talk about it, it's pervasive, it's penetrated society. You might say to your kid I'm gonna tap out. Like, I'm done for the night. That's all UFC."

Instead of talent from the two different companies entering the ring or octagon, we're getting crossovers in terms of marketing and WWE and UFC events taking place across the same weekend in the same cities. 

As always, make sure to let us know your thoughts on Khan's comments in the usual place.

Baron Corbin Breaks His Silence On Why Partnership With JBL Didn't Last: We All Just Wanted More...
Related:

Baron Corbin Breaks His Silence On Why Partnership With JBL Didn't Last: "We All Just Wanted More..."

WWE Confirms John Cena Will Compete At Next February's ROYAL RUMBLE PLE - Will He Be In The 30-Man Match?
Recommended For You:

WWE Confirms John Cena Will Compete At Next February's ROYAL RUMBLE PLE - Will He Be In The 30-Man Match?

DISCLAIMER: As a user generated site and platform, TheRingReport.com is protected under the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act) and "Safe Harbor" provisions.

This post was submitted by a user who has agreed to our Terms of Service and Community Guidelines. TheRingReport.com will disable users who knowingly commit plagiarism, piracy, trademark or copyright infringement. Please CONTACT US for expeditious removal of copyrighted/trademarked content. CLICK HERE to learn more about our copyright and trademark policies.

Note that TheRingReport.com, and/or the user who contributed this post, may earn commissions or revenue through clicks or purchases made through any third-party links contained within the content above.

marvel72
marvel72 - 4/12/2024, 10:38 AM
When it comes to Netflix I will definitely check it out.

Please log in to post comments.

Don't have an account?
Please Register.

View Recorder